Molokhia

Method

Molokhia is neither soup nor stew but something between the two, and its texture is unfamiliar to most cooks raised on Western cooking. The finely chopped leaves break down entirely in the pot and thicken the liquid through their own structure, giving a savoury, slightly mucilaginous body that is deeply comforting once you stop expecting a clear broth. Frozen chopped molokhia is the most practical option outside Egypt; let it thaw before you start.

Bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer in a wide pan and season it lightly. Tip in the thawed molokhia and stir it through — do not let it come to a hard rolling boil, which can break the delicate texture and dull the green colour. Keep it at a low simmer for ten minutes or so, until the leaves have softened completely and the liquid has thickened to a loose, spoonable egyptian-cuisine|consistency.

The dish is defined by its finish, the ta'leya. Melt the butter or ghee in a small pan, crush the garlic to a paste, and fry it gently with the ground coriander until fragrant and just beginning to colour — a minute, no more, or the garlic turns bitter. Tip this sizzling, aromatic fat into the simmering pot all at once; it should hiss as it hits the surface. Stir it through, taste, and adjust the salt.

Squeeze in lemon at the very end, off the heat, to lift the whole pot. Serve molokhia over plain white rice, traditionally alongside the poached chicken whose stock you used, with more lemon and flatbread on the table. It is a peasant dish that has climbed every social class in Egypt, and it rewards a cook willing to trust an unfamiliar texture.